Device for closing flue-thimbles



(No Model.) 7 v J. STURGISS.

DEVICE FOR CLOSING FLUE THIMBLES- No. 565,941. Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

R I E zj e r i er James SturgisS,

@ lnbvnz yg UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES STURGISS, OF EDGERTON, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR CLOSING FLUE-THIMBLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,941, dated August18, 1896.

Application filed May 29, 1896. Serial No. 593,650. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES Scrunerssa citizen of the United States,residing at Edgerton, in the county of Platte and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Device for Closing Flue-Thimbles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in devices for closingflue-.thimbles.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofdevices for closing fines, and to provide a simple, inexpensive, andefficient one, adapted to be readily applied to a flue-opening, andcapable of effectually closing the same to prevent the moisture of achimney or flue from leaking through the flue-opening and spoilingwallpaper or other wall-coating, to avoid the accumulation of soot in athimble, and also to exclude smoke or fire from a room.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion ofa flue provided with a device for closing a flue-opening constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view ofthe inner plate. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the resilient clamp.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs.

1 designates a thimble arranged in a flueopening and having its innerand outer ends closed by an inner disk or plate 2 and an outer cap 3,which are adjustably connected by a rod 4:. The rod 4 is provided, atits inner end, with an eye 5, which is hinged to an eye 6 of the innerplate or disk, and its outer portion, which is threaded, extends througha central perforation of the cap 3 and receives anut 7, which engagesthe outer face of the cap and which firmly connects the parts.

The inner disk or plate is provided, at its top, with a substantiallyL-shaped arm or lug 8 for engaging the inner face of the chimney,

and it has, at its bottom, a curved flange 9, which is substantiallyL-shaped in cross-section, and which engages the chimney and forms asupport for the plate or disk. The arm 8 and the flange 9 prevent thedisk or plate 2 from being drawn into the thimble when the nut 7 isscrewed inward on the rod 4.

The outer cap,which is preferably dished or concavo-convex, as shown,bears at its periphery against the wall around the flue-opening, and itis supported and prevented from dropping by a resilient clamping andembracing frame 10, hinged to the inner face of the plate or disk 2 andprovided with central eye 11, receiving the rod 4.

The resilient bracing and clamping frame, which is constructed of asingle piece of stout wire or similar material, is composed of similarcurved forwardly-divergingsides 12 and an outwardly-bowed curvedtransverse portion 13, connecting the front end to the sides. The rearterminals of the sides are bent inward at' right angles,for1ning pintles14:, which are arranged in suitable eyes 15 of the inner plate or disk2. The outwardly-bowed transversely-disposed curved portion 13 isengaged by a nut 16, arranged on the threaded portionof the stem andadapted to force the front portion 13 of the clamping-frame rearward,

whereby the sides are spread and caused toengage the thimblefrictionally. The frame firmly clamps the thimble and serves as a bracefor supporting the front portion of the rod to prevent the cap fromshifting its position.

The eyes 6 and 15,which maybe constructed in any suitable manner,preferably consist of perforated lugs or angle-plates, riveted orotherwise secured to the disk or plate 2.

It will be seen that the device for closing flues is exceedingly simpleand inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readilyapplied to a flue-opening, and that it is capable of excluding smoke,water, and fire from a room, and of preventing the accumulation of sootin a thimble.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificin g anyof the advantages of this invention. What I claim is- 1. In a device ofthe class described, the" combination of an inner plate, an outer cap,

a threaded rod hinged to the inner plate extending through the outercap, a bracing and clamping frame hinged to the inner plate, adapted toengage a thimble and provided with a central eye receiving the rod, andnuts mounted on the rod and engaging the cap and the bracing andclamping frame, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an inner plate provided atits mounted on the rod andengaging the cap and the bracing and clamping frame, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an innerplate, a threaded rod hinged to the same, a resilient clamping andbracing frame comprising forwardly-diverging sides hinged to the innerplate, and an outwardly-bowed front portion connecting the front ends ofthe sides and provided With a centrally-arranged eye receiving the rod,a nut arranged on the latter and engaging the front portion of theframe, and a cap secured to the outer end of the rod, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES STURGISS.

W'itnesses:

NELSON KERR, I. S. MILL R.

